10 Best Cars of Model Year 1978

The 10 Most Reliable and Durable Cars of Model Year 1978

This page lists the ten most reliable and durable cars of 1978. To measure reliability and durability, the Reliability-Durability Grade Point Average (Reliability-Durability GPA or more briefly R-D GPA) is used. For computation of the R-D GPA, see the Computations section below.

1978's Top 10 Classic Cars

These 10 great car classics are listed below in descending order of Reliability-Durability GPA.

The Toyota Corolla, with a Reliability-Durability GPA of 3.82

The 1978 Toyota Corolla came in either a 2-door-sedan, 4-door-sedan, 2-door-hatchback, or 4-door-wagon edition and with an inline 4-cylinder, 98-cubic-inch (1.6-Liter), 75-horsepower engine, a 3-speed automatic or 4-speed manual transmission, and a fuel capacity of 13 gallons. The 4-door sedan had an overall length of 165 inches and an overall width of 62 inches.

The Toyota Celica, with a R-D GPA of 3.82

The Toyota Celica came in either a 2-door-sedan or 2-door-hatchback edition and with an inline 4-cylinder, 134-cubic-inch (2.2-Liter), 95-horsepower engine, a 3-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission, and a fuel capacity of 16 gallons. The 2-door sedan had an overall length of 174 inches and an overall width of 65 inches.

The Toyota Corona, with a R-D GPA of 3.65

The Toyota Corona came in either a 2-door-sedan, 4-door-sedan, or 4-door-wagon edition and with an inline 4-cylinder, 134-cubic-inch (2.2-Liter), 95-horsepower engine, a 3-speed automatic, 4-speed manual, or 5-speed manual transmission, and a fuel capacity of 15.5 gallons. The 4-door sedan had an overall length of 173 inches and an overall width of 64 inches.

The Volvo 240 Series DL, GL (gasoline), with a R-D GPA of 3.64

The Volvo 240 Series came in either a 2-door-sedan, 4-door-sedan, or 4-door-wagon edition and with a fuel-injected, inline 4-cylinder, 130-cubic-inch (2.1-Liter) engine. The Volvo 244 had a 104-horsepower engine, a 3-speed automatic or 4-speed manual transmission, and a fuel capacity of 16 gallons. The 244 had an overall length of 193 inches and an overall width of 67 inches.

The Toyota Cressida, with a R-D GPA of 3.62

The Mercedes-Benz 300D Inline 5, with a R-D GPA of 3.60

The diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz 300D Inline 5 came in a 2-door-sedan or 4-door-sedan edition and with an inline 5-cylinder, 183-cubic-inch (3.0-Liter), 77-horsepower engine, a 4-speed automatic transmission, an overall length of 191 inches, an overall width of 70 inches, and a fuel capacity of 21 gallons.

The Toyota Pickup Truck, with a R-D GPA of 3.60

The Mercedes-Benz 240D, with a R-D GPA of 3.57

The diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz 240D came in a 4-door-sedan edition and with an inline 4-cylinder, 147-cubic-inch (2.4-Liter), 62-horsepower engine, a 4-speed automatic or 4-speed manual transmission, an overall length of 191 inches, an overall width of 70 inches, and a fuel capacity of 21 gallons.

The Oldsmobile 88 V8 Gasoline, with a R-D GPA of 2.88

The Oldsmobile Delte 88 V8 came in either a 2-door-sedan, 4-door-sedan, or 4-door-wagon edition and with a 8-cylinder, 260-cubic-inch (4.3-Liter), 110-horsepower engine, a 3-speed automatic, and a fuel capacity of 21 gallons. The 4-door sedan had an overall length of 218 inches and an overall width of 77 inches.

The Mazda GLC rear-wheel-drive , with a R-D GPA of 2.81

The Mazda GLC came in either a 2-door-hatchback or 4-door-hatchback edition and with an inline 4-cylinder, 78-cubic-inch (1.3-Liter), 95-horsepower engine, a 3-speed automatic or 4-speed or 5-speed manual transmission, and a fuel capacity of 10.5 gallons. The 4-door hatchback had an overall length of 154 inches and an overall width of 64 inches.

Manufacturers of the Top 10

Toyota Motor Corporation increased its share of the Top 10, from 4 in 1975, 1976 and 1977 to 5 in 1978. This year, the Toyota Corolla and the Toyota Celica tied for the most reliable and durable car, each with a R-D GPA of 3.82.

As in 1977, Daimler-Benz AG accounted for 2 of the most reliable and durable cars.

The Volvo 240 Series placed 4th among the best of 1978 and added to its near legendary reputation.

Filling out the Top 10 were General Motors' gasoline-powered Oldsmobile 88 V8 and Mazda Motor Corporation's rear-wheel-drive GLC.

Note the sizable difference in the Reliability-Durability GPA of the 8th-place M-B 240D (3.57) and that of GM's 9th-place Oldsmobile 88 V8 (2.88).

The following chart gives each car maker's percent share of the Top 10 of 1978.

Computations

To compute the reliability-durability grade point average of the MY 1977 cars, Consumer Reports' reliability ratings for the age ranges 4-to-5 years and 5-to-6 years are used.

CR's ratings are converted to numerical values following the standard academic pattern: a grade point of 4.0 (an A) is accorded a rating of Much Better Than Average, a 3.0 (a B) is accorded a rating of Better Than Average, a 2.0 (a C) is accorded a rating of Average, a 1.0 (a D) is accorded a rating of Below Average, and a 0 (an F) is accorded a rating of Much Below Average.

Then, for each age range, the grade point of CR's overall reliability rating is weighted 2/3 and the average of the grade points of the category ratings is weighted 1/3.

Finally, the average for the two age ranges is taken. The Mercedes-Benz 240D I4, the Mercedes-Benz 300D I5, and the rear-wheel-drive Dodge Colt offered data only for the 4-to-5 age range.